The present invention relates to a method and means for automatically handling tubing and more particularly to a method and means for removing a short length of tubing from a roll of tubing and for controlling the two free ends of the tube for attachment to an end fixtures.
There are a number of uses for lengths of tubing, such as plastic tubing, having molded plastic or other fixtures attached to the opposite ends of the tubing. Such assemblies, for example, are used in great numbers in medicine and particularly in connection with fluid administration apparatus for intravenous feeding or administering blood or similar procedures.
FIG. 11 illustrates an assembly of this general type comprising a short plastic tube with end fixture attached to the opposite ends. These assemblies or sets have previously been assembled by hand or in a semi-automatic manner using some fixtures. The method and means of the present invention replace these operations with an automatic operation which may be run with minimal supervision for producing complete sets accurately and at high speeds.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved method and means for cutting lengths of tubing from a roll of tubing and for controlling the free ends incident to the attachment to end fixtures.
Another object of the present invention is to provide automatic means for cutting pre-determined lengths of tubing from tubing rolls and for controlling the opposite ends of the cut lengths.